Dreams and Promises
by Lotho's Cute Villainess Minion
Summary: Slash: Two people discuss feelings of love and romance while studying for the University exam.


AN: I have no idea what inspired me to write this. I just sat down, started writing, and... here I ended up.  
  
Disclaimer: Da-dee-dum-dee-doo... My name is Lotho's Cute Villainess Minion, and I'm a Discworldoholic. I own not these characters, nor do I own Unseen University, or Ankh-Morpork. I am not Terry Pratchett, and we have nothing in common, bar that I am not dead either. *sobs in a corner*  
  
*  
  
Eyes focus on the paper in front of them. Pen taps on the table. Someone coughs; there is a momentary break in concentration. A hand flicks through the pages of a book; the other hand taking notes. The atmosphere is heavy, the slightest sound causing lapses in the steady focus of the student.  
  
A hand reaches down, and lies gently and comfortingly on the student's shoulder. He nearly jumps out of his skin from the shock, but looks up and smiles a little at the owner of the hand. The smile is returned, reassuring to the eyes of the academic. "You're too tense. You need to relax a little," the voice tells him gently.  
  
"Exams coming up," comes the response. "I can't relax. I must focus."  
  
The person belonging to the hand and the voice sits beside the student, the gentle hand not leaving the shoulder. "You have to. You can't focus when you're so stressed. It'll just make it even worse."  
  
There are several moments of silence. The person rises to his feet once more, and places both his hands on the student's shoulders, gently massaging the tensed muscles. "There's something else wrong, isn't there? It's not just the exams. What's the matter?"  
  
There is a heavy sigh from the student, and the pen is placed upon the desk. Head turns to look at the slightly older other. "You're not going to leave until I tell you what it is that's bothering me so much, are you?"  
  
"I'd say not."  
  
The gentle motion of the massage continues, and the student sighs again. "It's complicated, okay? There's... someone I feel romantically about."  
  
The other offers a knowing smile, the motion of his hands on the student's shoulders never for a moment ceasing or faltering. "You can't make a move on it as you're nearly a wizard. Even if you could make a move on it, you'd be rejected." There is a momentary pause - it is the other's turn to sigh. "Sometimes you feel as though you'd rather give up everything you've ever worked for, just for this person, but you know that they'd have to do the same for you, and you'd never ask that of them. You love them far too much to ever do that to them. And anyway... they'd never understand. The romance you're imagining would never be possible, even if you were in different positions."  
  
Once again, silence reigns over. The student's shoulders shake, and there is a soft, barely audible sob; the gentle motion of the hands on his shoulders halts. "I'm sorry." The slightly older one whispers quietly. "I did not mean to upset you..."  
  
"That's exactly the way I feel." The student whispers in response, taking one of the other's hands in his own. "Every time I see them, their slightest movement makes my heart beat faster. Sometimes, I can hardly stand to be in the same room as them. I often can hardly stand them being so close to me, when I know that I can't have them, that however much I dream, they could never want me in the same way. My dreams are wasted on them, but I just can't help it... how do you know so much?" His other hand rises to his cheek and wipes a tear from his face. "How is it that you can tell me so much about how I feel?"  
  
"Because I feel the same way about someone." The other tells him softly. There is the briefest of pauses, before he adds, "Does this person know how you feel?"  
  
There is a heartbroken, and heartbreaking inflection in the student's voice as he forms his response. "I'm sure they have someone of their own."  
  
"Maybe they should know how you feel." The other suggests. "How can you be so sure they could not want you, if you have never taken the matter up with them?"  
  
For the next few moments, things happen so fast no one is precisely sure /what/ happens. Before either can say another word, without even knowing who made the first move, Ponder Stibbons and Adrian Turnipseed's lips are upon each other's. Their eyes lock, filled with pent-up desire for each other.  
  
Then they realise what just happened, and desire becomes apprehension.  
  
"W-woah..." Adrian stammers, slowly inching away from Stibbons. "W-what just happened here?"  
  
"I could be wrong..." Ponder splutters his response, moving backwards slightly, but refusing to shift his gaze from the student. "But I /think/ we just kissed."  
  
"You were talking about...?"  
  
"/You/ were talking about...?"  
  
Another moment of silence reigns. Finally, Stibbons dares to speak again. "Well... if /I/ was talking about /you/, and /you/ were talking about /me/..." He trails off softly, unsure of how to finish his sentence.  
  
A moment of uncertainty ensues. The gap between them fills, quickly, and before either knows what is happening, their lips again meet. This kiss lasts longer than the previous, by quite some time. One of Ponder's hands rises to Adrian's cheek, feeling the slight shaking of the student in his arms, tasting the salty tears as they fall to his lips, noting the same tears flowing freely down his cheek.  
  
He moves slightly away from the student, eyes conveying his worry and concern. "Adrian, are you okay?"  
  
Adrian nods slightly, eyes focusing on the floor beneath his feet. His shoulders shake; when he speaks, a telltale waver in his voice gives away his tears. "It's just... I've dreamed of this moment since I first met you, Ponder. I don't want to have come this far just to hear you say you were only messing with my emotions." His gaze lifts from the floor, the tear- stained cheeks and vulnerable expression somehow giving the impression of a very small child while at the same time, someone who has suffered too many years of hope and is worried about the risk of it all being shattered. "Ponder, will you promise me one thing?"  
  
He smiles, brushing a tear from the cheek. "What?"  
  
"Will you promise me you'll never, ever leave me?"  
  
Ponder nods, cupping the cheek of his tearful beloved in one hand. "I promise you, Adrian Turnipseed, that I will never, ever leave you."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Really." 


End file.
